PEARS — APRICOTS 625 



My old plum orchard was inclosed with picket fence, inside 

 which chickens were kept, especially hens with broods, until 

 plum season was over. This precaution, and smoking trees 

 with coal tar. always secured fruit when there was a plum sea- 

 son. I have had admirable success with German prunes. The 

 only difficulty was that too much fruit set, which if not thinned 

 out would rot on the trees, 



PEARS. 



While most people have been discouraged with pear cul- 

 ture, I have had no reason to be, and attribute my success to 

 treatment of soil and tree, with, of course, regard for varieties 

 cultivated. I keep the ground clean as a garden bed, con- 

 stantly and liberally top dressed with ashes, lime, and all the 

 old iron scraps and tin cans pounded up I can obtain. I never 

 allow rampant limbs to run wild in growth. I pinch off and 

 head back at all times, beginning an early government of all 

 trees and vines, and more particularly the pear. The old 

 adage we were taught when boys, "Just as "the twig is bent, 

 the tree's inclined,'' meant something then ; more now, be- 

 cause there are more twigs to bend. The varieties found most 

 desirable with me are Bartlett, Howell, St. Lawrence, Lone 

 Ben, Seckel, Beurre d'Anjou, Beurri^ Diel, Clapp's Favorite, 

 Doyenn^ d'Ete, Vicar, Bloodgood, Buffum, Dachesse d' An- 

 gouleme. Both on the old and new farms I planted largely of 

 dwarf trees, which are great pets with me, showing apprecia- 

 tion of kind treatment more, I think, than any other fruit tree 

 grown. 



APRICOTS. 



When we have plums, we have apricots. I have pro- 

 duced some as fine specimens as one could desire to see or 

 taste. Breda and Moorpark are reliable and profitable, always 

 bringing good prices — four to six dollars per bushel. When 

 picked just before full color, they bear shipping well. 



GRAPES. 



Grapes I plant six feet, in rows running north and south, 

 rows eight feet apart. Train to wire, then on posts sixteen 

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